Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-08-09
IN PARKWAY ALASKA.
sights OF Interest and instruction to be
Seen-CuSt0mS @; tie
Indians
A Country of Rare and Rugged Beauty
Graphically ard Plcture.qneIy
Described
New York Star.

Glance ct the capital OF Al9Ska SHOWS llSJ /
it has been the seat Of another govern |
ment shan our own. The Cti3ial bald |
ings constructed by the Russians are ell
far more imposing thsn anything our
western towns OF the north can boast. I
The castle is fnelY situated, and with the
custom house, barracks ana Creek
church, form Gn exceedingly picturesque
group-yery striking and pleasing after
the towns OF clap5oards, shaped like
tents, one passes on the WGy.
TIE Greek church, with is green
metallic dome snd mInaret-like spire,
was at once the object of general interest
and curiosity among the passengers Of
the Pacific C0mpAny's good steamship
Oiympian, and they made haste to get it
opened that we Nigh. inspect its novelties.
The pictures were surprisingly good, and
there were several icons decorated with
gold end silver levels Of Russian saints
and Our LadY Of 81 unpr0nOrncesble
name. The cQriosity seekers thronged
the stores in hopes OF Sc
curing totem poles, baskets, bracelets
aid Other articles OF Indian make. AS il
was Sunday many we're attracted to the
PRESBYTERIAN mission, which is g large
and dJuriohjpg establishment, With 8
school Of 80 children. They heard them
sing hymns and read the Scriptures IN the
English language and translate into the
/ Chinook tongue for the benef5 t their
parents. There is also modest Catholic
chapel. The priest is HDllsnder, S
graduate CT LCuvEin, evidently scholar
and gentleman, but ne says the Greek
/ church has won the hearts Of the Indians
| there end he hiss not much 10 do.
/ The ChinOCk5 are iEdeGd g wonderful
! looking tripe OF Ildan9 to those who
know the RED man on the plains. They
ali WeGr good coats end pantaloOns and
| strong boots. They earn plenty of money
TO buy store clothes, and the women ere
gay n led sud yellow handkeTchiefs IS
| mead gear, while their sGCques are made
Of bright COlored cloth ana orramen!ed
with dozens Of pearl buttons sewed on
II patterns. Ole was decorated with the
! outline Of beal, which was DrJ5acly
/ the crest If her family. The woman here
is of much Importance il heredity, as q
man belongs TO the family Of mis- mother,
be it beaver, fish or otter, sud they are
very careful about their totems. The
next chief il always the eldest son OF the
present mans oldest sister.
When 81 Indian dies who hes not been
3 member Of church, nig remains are
crematel. II be IS no longer pagan
they are buried like Christians. We saw
q funeral in a Greek cemetery. All the
Indians gathered st the mans house,
bringing food of some sort. They then
marched in procession to the grave with
the priest in q grand yeslment 81 their
head. Ia the grave they deposited the
dead mans blankets AMI many other OF
his effects; enough 10 cause them to be
robbed the night following by the whites.
The harbor and situation Of Stka ere
charming. TIE first is almost land
| locked by more than twenty small islands.
| The last is high, rolling plsi0, encirc,ed
with foothills that disclose through their
openings four groups of capped
Alps, with every form Of ilggeG and
sharp tOothed outline, beautiful beyond
description. The wooden houses OF the
| Indians are but one large room, with the
| fire burning In the middle, and directly
over it an opening Tor the smoke to 90
through. There are glass; windows and g
high gallery around the four sides CT the
room, upon which are the beds, and
where the women sit when they are not
cooking Above the fire is an open wood
/
to dry and smoke for the winters supply
The Indians are f3t, always having
plenty to eer; they look syr0Dg and
healthy, but there is a great deal of sick
ness among them, and many die Of con
sumption and other diseases Of civiIiZa-
ton. There is great need Of hospital ct
Sitka, and the white people there are all
hoping that the government will do some
| in hat Il nv
handsome things for her colonies, but
England was economical in that way, and
we follow her example.
The geld mines are taking population
10 Alaska, before whom the Indians Will
rapidly disappear. An employe OF the
Hudson Bsy company, VINO mas been for
years in the north country told me he
disapproved Of the education Of girls at
the mission. They take them entirely
away from thsir parents, brig them up
SIS in g boarding school. unftting them to
be the wives OF Indians, and ending in
their ruin.
Asks is in the latitude OF England
and h.s much the same climate. from 8
similar cause; the japanese ocean cur
rent washes the shores Of the former, as
{ me gulf stream does those Of the latter,
; bring with it warm sir and humidity thai
causes cur western costs to be covered
with forests Of gigantic growth. We
stopped 81 WGengeI, Imam and Chilkat
the other fishing and mining towns, out
it was not to see them that we crossed
the continent and undertook this voyage
ofEI20l miles. 1t was 10 travese the
msgnihcen.a chsnEel between the thou
sands cf islands and our west coast, and
, view its Alpine scenery. The rou OF the
3 ocean is shut cut in these lend LOCKED
t waters, and the surface is calm SIS lake
: so tee NEST susceptible lady need have
/ no dread of nal de mer.i
r Sometimes the channel wss twenty
] miles broad, and recalled Lake Genevs
e and other Swiss scenes with their snow
d, capped ranges. Sometimes it was so mar
: row we could see only the foot hills veilet
2 in mist, reminding Us Of the Scotch locks